the closest thing i can think of him talking about how certain white people assume he's a drug dealer or wonder why he has money and shit. but on the other side he also talks about how (black) people from his hometown hated on him and shit. so it's not like it's one-sided, he's just rapping his experiences.

i dont think it really matters why he's black - he's black. he already told us about his dad leaving and about how much he loves his mom. i havent heard anything about hating whites.

the closest thing i can think of him talking about how certain white people assume he's a drug dealer or wonder why he has money and shit. but on the other side he also talks about how (black) people from his hometown hated on him and shit. so it's not like it's one-sided, he's just rapping his experiences.

i dont think it really matters why he's black - he's black. he already told us about his dad leaving and about how much he loves his mom. i havent heard anything about hating whites.

It's just something about the way he raps... I bought Born Sinner, because I liked the snippets I heard and I kept hearing and reading so many great comments from people who's opinion I normally respect... but I still can't get into dude... IDK... it's like he's reading his raps, sometimes... his flow doesn't come off natural enough... dope rappin' should be like breathin'... but his always sound labored.

I agree there's something that isn't all there about him. I think he's still finding his style or something (I think the same about Big Sean sometimes). But I think he definitely has the skill to get there

I think J. Cole tries to sound too conversational and puts too many forced inflections in his rhymes... I don't like the constant forced inflections from Luda, either, who is a bigger offender of this... but with Cole, I can tell he's trying to vary his flow, but it still comes across as mechanical... inflections should come from emotions or when you're emphasizing a certain point, not just for the hell of it... I would almost prefer it if just he came with a deadpan delivery, like how his hook was on Jigga's "Off That."

Potential can only be praised when you're coming up. If you already on you second albums and still people only see potential then fuck that.

I personally find it hard to relate to him, he doesn't comes off as real to me, his persona doesn't appeal to me, the concept of some songs I don't like like the pop songs.

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I think he comes across as real, because he's always relaying his personal struggles and life story, but the truth is... they're not all that interesting... there isn't much emotion there and the forced inflections don't help... if he can't spit anything more interesting, he needs to use his imagination more. He's a total realist and expressionist, but his content is not all that engaging.

I like him a lot actually I've been listening to all his shit these past 3 days or so and I like his story telling ability, voice, and he seems real to me like he loves rap and is rapping his life. I'm a huge fan of the guy now that I've listened to all his shit and I definitely prefer him to Kendrick Lamar. Also, I love Born Sinner I really enjoyed his production on it as well as his spitting.

I've heard all his albums including The Warm Up, The Come Up, and Friday Night Lights, and I'd still say he's in my top 10-15, but I can understand why eevrybody doesnt feel that way. I agree with Ignorant, he needs better subject matter.